Matt Ayres talks to the woman behind the creation of a significant concert venue in East Oxford

I catch Michele Smith off guard. She’s situated in one giant echo of a room at St Stephen’s House upon my call, and insists on relocating in order to make our interview decipherable.

It’s ironic that such troubling acoustics should precede a chat that’s all about concerts, and how beautiful they sound when coming from inside the 19th-century church next door: St John the Evangelist. “The church belongs to St Stephen’s House, which is a permanent private hall of the University of Oxford”, explains Michele, who is the bursar of St Stephen’s.

“We took over the building back in 1980; formerly it was owned by the Cowley Fathers, the society of St John the Evangelist, who were monks. It was in a fairly parlous state, and when I came here in 2006 I was looking at what we could do with a Grade I-listed church. “When it was valued, the church was actually regarded as a negative value, because a Grade I-listed building is potentially a huge liability, with a big responsibility to look after it. It was used for regular worship on Sundays and for special events, but the rest of the time it remained empty.” This seemed a great shame — St John the Evangelist is a real wonder to behold. Hidden in spacious grounds just off the Iffley Road, one is struck by the holiness of the place immediately upon entering, with its grand pillars and ornate ceiling making for an environment that’s colossal both in scale and in spirit.

Michele agrees that it’s time for communities in East Oxford to realise the presence of this forgotten beauty. “I looked at the church, and thought that one of the things it has is lots of space, and wonderful acoustics. So we did a survey: if we created a concert venue here, would it be of interest? Everyone came back very positively, so that’s how we started.

“Our first concerts were in December 2011. The European Union Baroque Orchestra came, and Helen & Douglas House held their Light Up a Life concert.” Both were extraordinary successes, and now the church has been renovated to help facilitate a wide range of public events. With the help of £800,000 from a fundraising campaign and the college’s own funds, this enchanting space has been decked out with under-floor heating, comfortable seats, professional lighting, staging and clean, well-kept toilets.

“We even have a Steinway D Concert Grand piano,” Michele boasts. “I think we’re the only church in Oxford that has one of those. “We’ve turned it from being just a space into something that is actually a very useable concert venue, and last year we held 30 concerts here. This year we’ve already got 35 concerts booked, and we get enquiries daily. That’s really exciting, that people are starting to realise that we’re here.” As well as being a bursar for the church, Michele’s involvement with local culture stems from her job as concert manager at SJE Arts.

She admits to being new at this, with a background in finance and administration in the publishing industry.

“I do have some experience of events, though concert management is a new and exciting venture for me and I am learning a lot — plus meeting so many interesting and helpful people along the way,” she enthuses. Having lived in Oxfordshire for 12 years, it’s encouraging that the church’s new lease of life is being led by a woman with such passion for the local community.

“I think it’s an exciting place because it’s small enough to not be overwhelming, but it still has lots of things going on,” Michele says.

“In the local arts scene, I’m very involved as a person who likes to attend things. I’m now doing my bit to actually create a new space, which I think is much needed in Oxford.”

St John’s is setting an excellent example. Around the nation, stunning buildings are falling into disrepair due to a lack of use. The loss of these artefacts would be catastrophic, but many question whether a place of worship can double as a thriving music venue. Do the two needs counteract one another, or can they work in conjunction? Michele herself is religious, although not deeply. “Church of England, yes”, she offers, “but not a very good example of a regular churchgoer!”

It seems that for her, beliefs are beside the point: the priority in this economic context is celebrating the church by using it as a communal hub, a life-affirming place to celebrate all aspects of humanity, religious or otherwise. “The church will always be used for worship,” she assures. “The main difference is that now it’s giving something back to the community. That’s an important part of the church’s life; it’s how churches used to be in the past. They were used for all sorts of things.” It’s not only music fans who will benefit from the use of the church — Michele is particularly excited about a new development that will ensure the cloister at St John’s becomes one of Oxford’s most cherished art galleries.

An exhibition took place in April, and this month the space is a significant venue for Oxford Artweeks.

“It will be a really lovely, light exhibition space,” Michele says, “perfect for large canvasses which are hard to exhibit in small art galleries.”

“East Oxford seems to be improving all the time”, she concludes, neatly summarising the sentiment of her involvement with St John the Evangelist.

“Just seeing the place being used and coming to life has been the real highlight for me. It’s the most wonderful place to sit and listen to beautiful music, and it’s so great to see the local community using it. This has always and will always be a church, but now it’s so much more.”